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Madden immediately thrusts his little hand out, eager to please. Once they exchange a handshake, Paula stands before Siarra and me. “You’re so pretty. You look like your mommy.”
    Siarra lifts her head long enough to glance at Paula before burying her face in my neck. I shrug an apology. “She isn’t as social as her brother.”
    Paula laughs. “I think it’s a boy thing. Shane was never shy. Even at Madden’s age, he’d kiss a perfect stranger full on the lips.” A flash of emotion crosses over her features before she replaces it with a smile.
    “Sounds like something Madden would do,” Leila smiles back. Madden, already bored with the new human in the room, runs off to play with his toys. Knowing he’s a safe distance away, Siarra squirms in my arms to be let down as well. She scampers off after her brother.
    “Come, sit,” Leila says while motioning toward the table that is already laid out with breakfast.
    While Leila pours coffee Paula says, “It must be awesome traveling around the world as a family. The twins are precious.”
    “Thank you. I’m a bit apprehensive having them away from home for so long. Our parents are not happy with us, but they’re young and they seem to adapt well to the constant changes.” We all glance at them playing individually, yet side by side. “As long as Madden has his cars and Siarra her dolls, they’d be fine living on a deserted island.”
    Paula nods in agreement. “That’s how Shane is with his guitar. Thank you so much for allowing him to be on stage with you and giving him that amazing gift. He hasn’t stopped talking about that experience.”
    “He’s a natural, born to be a rock star. He fit in with our band perfectly.”
    Paula tells us of how Shane’s obsession began. He always loved music, even as a baby. When shopping at a local toy store for his birthday, he flew over to a toy guitar and clutched it to his chest. He never let it out of his sight, even going as far as sleeping with it. When other boys his age were watching cartoons, he was watching the music channels. The day he saw our video for In The Cards , he found his new idol, Trey. It was instantaneous. He was only three at the time.
    Paula explains how she found Jen and was shocked when Jen responded. At the time, she was hoping to get an autographed picture of Trey to give Shane for his birthday, or maybe even a video message. Over those months, Jen and Paula rekindled their friendship. Paula was then diagnosed and the favor she initially asked Jen for became so much more. She speaks of Jen with unmasked admiration. Knowing Jen as we do, it’s hard to fathom this other person Paula is describing. Jen leaned on Paula to forget her failed marriage to Malcolm. Paula leaned on Jen for moral support during the early stages of her illness.
    “You went to school with Jen, right?” Leila asks.
    “Yes, we were really good friends during most of our middle school and high school years. My family life was nonexistent. Jen comes from a very loving, supportive family. I craved it. She graciously shared them with me. We lost touch when she went away to college and then I got knocked up.” She blushes and adds, “Sorry.”
    “Don’t apologize. You have a beautiful son.”
    Paula nods, “He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” Silence falls over us as she picks at her food. A few long seconds pass before she asks, “How did you two meet?”
    “Go ahead, you tell the story,” Leila says with a smirk and a wave of her hand. Usually when someone asks and she recounts the day we met, I interrupt with all the embarrassing moments that Leila purposefully leaves out.
    So, taking the opportunity, I tell Paula my version, including all those moments my wife would like to forget. Paula laughs out loud at my analogies, quickly apologizing to Leila for laughing. “I’m used to it,” she replies.
    Conversation flows easily between the three of us. The twins constantly interrupt, running over